Out of the Whirlwind

It seems that I haven’t learned the lesson yet about being a living conduit for God’s work. As I was journalling tonight, I felt like it was a confession that I needed to share; a confession that perhaps will help you, too, to remember where you can find shelter from the wind’s battering strength.

“Why do I leave it so long to come to you?” was the question I started with as I ran to my Heavenly Father.

I tell myself that daily time in a Christian environment, thinking on His Word is enough; but it is not. We all need daily time with Him, not just reading about Him. We can liken it to the reading of a biography. If I read biographies all day, but do not spend time with the one the biography is about, I don’t really know the person in the story; I am not close to them. I certainly couldn’t consider myself on intimate terms with the biography’s subject. It is the same with God. How can I spend time daily thinking about Him, reading of Him, and singing about Him, but never actually pause long enough to let Him in?

“No time, no time,” is what I cry. But what is of more importance than spending time with my Lord? What is more important than coming to the source of Living Water – even more so in the busy seasons! I must pause to let Him in, for my refreshing! God doesn’t need me; I need Him. My soul needs the stillness it finds when I rest with His Spirit.

Over and over again I have said that I release my work load to Him, even whilst my heart continued to hold on to it. I didn’t really give it over to Him. It was like a child putting a treasured toy back into their mother’s hand, whilst maintaining a firm grip on it. I am playing tug of war with Him over my burdens. How laughable to hold on to my burdens so tightly and yet it is what I have been doing. Tonight I chose to give everything over to Him freely and I advise you to do the same. Even the simple act of release opens the flood gates of peace to enter in. We try to make our burdens, time frames and workloads seem of vital importance when the simple truth is that they are not.

Remember that God’s grace is sufficient. Make time to just be with Him and in His presence each day. Take the feeling of being under a time crunch off of your shoulders and out of your heart by giving them over to Him. Receive His grace in this season and seek His wisdom to know what to move forward with and what to leave. Be okay with your faults, flaws, failings and imperfections, knowing that it is a work – a work that God is doing; not you.

“We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday’s burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it.” ― John Newton

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Here is a short prayer for those who want to join me in it:
“I give away my burdens to you, Jesus. I give away my anxieties. I chose to enter into your rest. I chose to seek the comfort and peace of your Spirit. I ask only that you lead me to carry the yoke assigned to me and that I will daily take time to rest in you. Amen”